Steelers News: Warren On The Rise With Rodgers’ Return to Pittsburgh
Jaylen Warren’s role in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense could be heading in a very positive direction following confirmation that Aaron Rodgers is coming back for another season in Pittsburgh.
Rodgers and the Steelers agreed on a one-year deal worth up to $25 million with $22 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 42-year-old quarterback is entering his 22nd NFL season, this time under new head coach Mike McCarthy, who coached Rodgers for 13 seasons during their time together in Green Bay.
For Warren, the reunion matters because of how Rodgers operated the Steelers’ offense in 2025. Rodgers ranked as the fastest-releasing quarterback in the league, averaging just 2.59 seconds to throw per Next Gen Stats, preferring screens, checkdowns, and swing passes over downfield shots. Running backs were central to that rhythm, and Warren figures to be the primary beneficiary of that approach once again.
The backfield landscape has shifted since last season. Kenneth Gainwell, who emerged as one of Pittsburgh’s most productive offensive weapons in 2025 with 65 receptions and 422 receiving yards, signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. To replace him, the Steelers signed Rico Dowdle to a two-year, $12.25 million contract. Dowdle posted back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with Dallas and Carolina, respectively, and caught 39 passes in each of those two campaigns. He runs with more power than either Warren or Gainwell, but his pass-catching profile is markedly different, making Warren the clear frontrunner for receiving work out of the backfield.
The offensive scheme is also expected to shift. With McCarthy taking over from the departed Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith no longer running his multi-tight end packages, the Steelers’ offense should look substantially different in 2026. McCarthy has long built his passing games around quick, precise concepts — a framework that should suit Warren’s hands and ability to find open space on short routes even more than Smith’s system did.
Warren, 27, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has steadily carved out a well-established role in Pittsburgh’s offense. He is under contract through the 2027 season after signing a two-year extension in 2025.
Whether Rodgers can improve on a 2025 campaign that ranked him 29th among qualified quarterbacks in EPA per dropback remains the central question for the entire Steelers offense. But if the short-game approach holds, Warren’s pass-catching opportunities are unlikely to decline.